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RAISING CHILDREN TO GROW GREAT PARENTS

A new ground-breaking parenting series - a one-stop-shop for
parents - is set to launch in June on TVNZ 7 and will be given out
free to all new parents on DVD from later in the year.

Based on research that confirms the crucial importance of the
first three years, Raising Children in New Zealand combines the
knowledge and expertise of New Zealand's key child-focussed
agencies to create a comprehensive multi-platform audio-visual
resource for parents and caregivers.

Raising Children is a joint initiative between Barnardos,
Plunket, SKIP (the Family and Community Services arm of The
Ministry of Social Development), TVNZ 7 and the Lion Foundation.
The ten-part half hour series, as well as over 40 short episodes,
will provide a valuable source of practical information covering
everything from breastfeeding, postnatal distress and how becoming
a parent changes your life, to toilet training, coping with ear
infections, parenting styles and encouraging good behaviour.

A free DVD of the series will also be distributed to all new
parents through Plunket and Barnardos and episodes will be
available to view online on TVNZ Ondemand and on a new Raising
Children website which will provide additional information and
links to other useful websites.

Featuring 18 core families, each of the 10 half-hour episodes
will also be fronted by a well-known New Zealander and will focus
on a particular age and stage of the first three years. These
celebrity parents include actress Monique Bree (Kirby on Go Girls),
sports presenter and former Silver Ferns' captain Bernice Mene, All
Black Cory Jane, TV presenter Sonia Gray and actor Kiel McNaughton
(Scotty on Shortland Street).

Raising Children is the brainchild of producer Jude Dobson, who
has been producing parenting TV shows for the past nine years.
Inspiration came from an Australian resource which has been
available to Australian parents since 2007.
"There has been a real need in New Zealand for a show like this,"
says Barnardos Chief Executive, Murray Edridge. "It puts parenting
in the spotlight and highlights what a hugely important job raising
children is.

"The first three years last forever. Getting it right is hugely
important - for our children, for families and for society in
general," he says.